PIO #59 - Green Meljens Designs

Today we have a new challenge for you at Pile It On! and we want to see you use "Green"
With the warmer days coming and the earth starting to wake up you should find no trouble introducing the Green of Spring into your projects.

We are sponsored by the fabulous Meljen's Designs and I used the adorable Little Lamb as I thought he/she was perfect for a Happy Spring card!

Challenges:
Card Mania - Spring (3 entries only)
Dream It Up - Marching Into Spring
Allsorts - Spring Is In The Air
Craftin Desert Diva's - Green
Creative Card Crew - Green
Going Grey - Green
Sweet Stampin - Green
Double Click Skittles - Green
4 Crafty Chicks - Green
Fresh Brewed - Green and White and another color (Brown)
Auds Sentiments - Bingo! (2 papers, flowers, die cut)
CRAFT - 3 Embellishments, 2 Papers, 1 Image
Cute Card Thursday - Dies and Punches
Sassy Studios - To Die For
Catch the Bug - Anything Goes
Hanna and Friends - Anything Goes
Craft Your Passion - Anything Goes (3 entries only)
Crafting from the Heart - Anything Goes (3 entries only)

Card Recipe:
Image - Little Lamb
Medium - Copic Markers
Sentiment - Printed
Paper - Up Up and Away by First Edition
Circle Die - Lifestyle Crafts
Scalloped Circle Die - Sizzix
Ribbon and Lace - Hobby Lobby
Flowers - Michaels
Pearls - The Paper Studio
Flocking - Fun Flock in Snow White by Stampendous

I added Fun Flock for the lamb's wool and I think it turned out cute!
I hope you do too and will come over and share your Green projects with us at Pile It On! and Good Luck!

Katie

Guest at Desert Island Crafters - Little Things Bring Joy!

A few weeks ago I was picked in the winning list at the Desert Island Crafters challenge.
If you haven't played there before then you should give it a go as it is a fun concept.
The whole idea is that you are given a list of 10 items and you must include at least 3 of them on your project, easy eh?
So as a winner I got to host a challenge and my crafting itinerary is:

1.Color Your Image (any coloring medium) (check!)
2.Stitching (check!)
3.Use a quote for a sentiment (check!)
4.Something with Wings (check!)
5.Make it Pop Up (check!)
6.Use 3 different shapes (check!)
7.Make it Manly (fail)
8.Use felt/fabric (not ribbon) (fail)
9.Give it Life (use an image of something alive) (check!)
10.Use 3 different colors only (apart from skin/hair) (check!)

So to play you have to include at least 3 of them, should be fun don't you think?

Challenges:
Digi Doodles Shop - Anything Goes
Sew Many Challenges - Anything Goes
Meljen's - Frame It!
Frosted Designs - Circles
Do It With Digi's - Girly
Patties Creations - Stitching (2 entries only)
Ribbon Carousel - Stitching (and ribbon)
Stampin Bee's - Ribbon
Thrilling Thursday - Summertime
Crafty Ann's - Summertime
If The Shoe Fits - Summer
Stampin Sisters In Christ - All Creatures Great and Small
Digital Tuesday - Garden and Wings
Everybody Art - Garden
Paper Play - In The Garden
Papertake Weekly - Sketch
Creative Craft World - Anything But Birthday

Card Recipe:
Image - Meljen's
Sentiment - Bits of Ivory
Paper - K and Co Watercolor Bouquet
Medium - Copic Markers
Border Punch - Martha Stewart
Ribbon - The Whimsy Cottage
Pearls - Recollections
Roses - Treasures by Shabby Chic

I hope you liked this and will come along and play with my itinerary at Desert Island Crafters, remember just choose 3 of more from my list and you're in!
Katie

The Pixie Cottage Challenge #63 - Stitching

It's Wednesday so it means another challenge here at The Pixie Cottage!
As always we have 2 parts to the challenge and you can choose either or both to play along with.
We have a fabulous sketch and our theme this week is "Stitching", you do machine, hand or even faux stitching, all work!
I decided to do a little altering this week instead of a card and so I decorated a box.
I took the hinges and lock off before covering it with paper and then added the embellishments. All the edges are inked and I used Creative Inspirations Paint in Fairy Dust for sparkle.

Challenges:
Make It Monday - Anything Goes
Sugar Creek Hollow - Stitching
Crop Stop - Lace
Meljen's - Punches
Paperplay - Distressing
Just Magnolia - Bingo (I chose Paper Piecing, flowers and distressing)
Magnolia Down Under - Shabby Chic
Make It Colorful - Color a Background
Allsorts - For A Special Lady
Crafty Pad - For Mum
My Time To Craft - For Mum
ECP - For Mum
Cupcake Crafts - Flowers for Mum
Quirky Crafts - Mothers Day Gift
Creative Inspirations - Mothers Day/Mum
Magnolia Stamp Lovers - Ribbon
Creative Inspirations Paint - Flowers
Let's Ink It Up - Dies or Punches (must use Rubber stamp)
Stampin Sisters in Christ - Paper Piecing
House of Gilli - Ribbons and Pearls
Stamping Scrapping Challenge - Sparkle
The Shabby Tearoom - Photo Inspiration and Flowers
Lexi's - Ribbon (but no bows or knots)
Simon Says Stamp and Show - Hat (Tilda is holding one)
Scrappy Frogs - Flowers and Lace
Delicious Doodles - Flowers
Tuesday Throwdown - Florals
Ladybug Crafts - Handmade Flowers
The Stamping Boutique - Handmade Flowers
Partytime Tuesdays - Anything Goes with a Handmade Flower
Anything Goes - Make You Own Embellishments

Card Recipe:
Image - At The Corner Of by ARTish and Tilda With Hat
Paper - - K and Co McKenna
Medium - Copic Markers
Fabric Brad - Heidi Grace
Butterfly Punch - Martha Stewart
Pearls - The Paper Studio
Trim - Hobby Lobby
Lace - Offray
Ribbon - Offray
Roses - Wild Orchid
Box - Darice

Remember you can use the sketch or the optional technique or both!

I paper pieced Tilda's dress and added paint to her wings.
I made the rosette flower and then spritzed it with Smooch Spritz in Spun Sugar, I added Spritz to the Butterflies too.
This would make a great Mother's Day gift or for a special birthday.
I hope you've enjoyed this :)
Katie

Cooking It Up #55 - Sparkle, Shine and Shimmer!

It's time for another challenge at my Cooking It Up With Katie card recipe blog!
So here are this weeks ingredients (it's a really easy one!)

Start with Sparkle
Add some Shine
Finish with a Shimmer!!

So we need to see the bling, pearls, mists, metals, anything that sparkles and shines, the more the merrier!


Challenges:
Gingerloft - Punches or Die Cuts
Meljen's - Punches
Stamp Insanity - Punch It Out
Stampin Vacation Start Here = Nestabilities
Crafty Emma'a - Die Cut Crazy
Do You Stack Up? - Shine On
Incy Wincy - Sparkle and Shine
Paper Pretties - Bring on the Bling
Kenny K - Aquamarine
House of Gilli - Ribbon and Pearls
Paper Playtime - Anything Goes Digi
Dutch Dare - Celebrations
Send A Smile 4 Kids - Birthday Girl
Charisma - Birthday for a Teen
Crazy Challenge - Sweet Teens
Digital Tuesday - For The Kids

Card Recipe:
Image - Kitty Katastrophe by Kenny K
Paper - SEI Chick A Doo
Medium - Copic Markers
Ribbon - Hobby Lobby
Rhinestones - Michales $1 spot
Pearls - The Paper Studio
Stickers - SEI Chick a Doo
Border Punch - Martha Stewart

It was so easy to "shine and shimmer" up this little cutie, bling on her boots, silver pen accents, pearls and more.
I really love these images, different from what I usually do but so much fun!
I hope you enjoyed her too and will come along to Cooking It Up With Katie and "Get Your Bling On!"
Katie

A Spoon Full of Sugar - Happy Easter with Caring Kaela

It's time for a new theme challenge at A Spoon Full of Sugar and this week we'd love to see your Easter projects!
So grab the bunnies, chicks, eggs and go and create!

Challenges:
Scrapbook Sisters - Anything Goes
Paper Playtime - Anything Goes Digi
Colour Create - Pastels
Meljen's - Punches
Stamp Insanity - Punches
PALS Paper Arts - Embossing
The Rubber Cafe - Embossing
Sugar Creek Hollow - Stitching
Do You Stack Up? - Shine On
Stampin Vacation Start Here = Nestabilities
Papercutz - 3 Patterned Papers
Catered Crop - Project Inspiration
Hello Cutie - Photo Inspiration (I took the patterns, pastels and butterfly)
Patties Creations - Flowers and Pearls
House of Gilli - Ribbon and Pearls
Lexi's - Ribbon (no bows or knots)
Karens Doodles - Easter
Creative Cowgirls - Spring or Easter
Alys Sunday - Happy Spring
Sew Many Challenges - Spring Fling
Stamp Something - Spring Something
Totally Gorjuss - Spring has Sprung
Creative Craft Friends - Spring
Sparkles Forum - Springtime

Card Recipe:
Image - Caring Kaela
Paper - Ducks in a Row by October Afternoon
Medium - Copic Markers
Ribbons - Offray and Michaels
Embossing Folder - Sizzix
Die Cut - Spellbinders
Butterfly - Michaels
Sentiment - Studio G

Kaela looks so cute in her Easter dress with the baby chick and I really liked coloring her. The butterfly is a floral accent and I trimmed the back on the body flat so it would lie flatter on the card.
The Easter eggs were made from balloon punches that I trimmed to make into eggs. The cute little bunny stamp was a $1 stamp and the super gathered ribbon was on clearance at Walmart, I'm always on the look out for a crafty bargain!
Katie

Designed 2 Delight - Springtime with Ladybug Kaela

It's time for another New Release showcase over at Card Idea's.
Faith from Designed 2 Delight keeps coming out with such cute images and the team love great some great cards with them.

Challenges:
Scrapbook Sisters - Anything Goes
Going Grey - Spring has Sprung
Creative Cottage - Spring Has Sprung
Hanna And Friends - Spring
Paper Pretties - Spring
Stamp Something - Spring Something
Ambers Crafts and Stuff - Use A Die Cut
Stampin Vacation Start Here = Nestabilities
Crafty Creations - In Stitches
Crafts and Me - Anything Goes
Meljen's - Punches
PALS Paper Arts - Embossing
Do You Stack Up? - Shine On
Moving Along With The Times - Precious Metals (metal rimmed tag)
Flutterby - Open (with a butterfly, angel or fairy)
Little Red Wagon - Butterflies
My Time To Craft - Ladies Young or Old

Card Recipe:
Image - Ladybug Kaela
Paper - Sweet Nectar by K and Co
Medium - Copic Markers
Butterfly Punch - Martha Stewart
Border Punch - Martha Stewart
Ribbons - Hobby Lobby
Pearls - The Paper Studio
Embossing Folder - Sizzix

I cut out Kaela and popped her up on the die cut circle. Then I mounted the whole circle on foam to give it more depth.
Be sure to drop over to Card Ideas to see some other great cards with Kaela and her little brother Drew.

A Spoon Full of Sugar - Have a Cherry Happy Birthday!

It's time for another challenge at A Spoon Full Of Sugar and this week we are giving you a theme challenge!
It's one type of card that we all need many times a year and so this week we want to see "Birthday Cards!"
They can be cute and funny for children, soft and romantic for a lady or anything you want!
I used another image from the Help for Katie pack #1, did you see they had a new one come out this past Sunday? Katie and her family are still fighting though this awful cancer diagnosis so if you can please drop by The Help For Katie Blog and have a look what her friends are doing for her.

Challenges:
Digi Doodle Shop - Anything Goes
Robyns Fetish - Anything Goes
Guylou's Inimitability - Anything Goes (5 entries)
Thrilling Thursday - Show Us What You Got (anything goes)
Totally Paper Crafts - Do It With Digi
Wags N Whiskers - Punches
Dare To Be Sassy - Punches
Digital Tuesday - Punches and Digi
Fussy and Fancy - Something Edible
Desert Island Crafts - Pick Three Recipe (I picked No flowers, Border Punch and The Color Red)
Res Q - A Happy, Bright card
Simply Create - Bright
Totally Gorjuss - Check It Out
Catered Crop - Inspiration (I chose the red checks, the mix of patterns and the sweet theme)
Meljens - Happy Birthday
Card Makin Mama's - Happy Birthday
If The Shoe Fits - Happy Birthday
Fairy Knoll - Happy Birthday
Tellens Place - Birthdays
Stamping With The Dragon - Birthdays
Going Grey - Happy Birthday

Card Recipe:
Image - Bowl of Cherries by Clear Dollar Stamps from Help for Katie Collection
Paper - Angelica by Marcella by K
Medium - Copic Markers
Border and Corner Punch - Martha Stewart
Felt Corner - Colorbok
Brads - Spare Parts

This is a great card, suitable for lots of people and who doesn't need to add to their stash of birthday cards, I know I'm always in need of an unexpected card :)
So grab your crafting stuff and come along and play with us at A Spoon Full Of Sugar.

Pixie Cottage #53 - Who Do You Love?

It's Wednesday so it means another challenge at The Pixie Cottage!
As always we have 2 parts to the challenge and you can choose either or both to play along with.
We have a fabulous sketch and our theme this week is "Who Do You Love?" which is perfect for your upcoming Valentines Day cards!

Challenges:
Craft Your Days Away - Anything Goes
AI Factory - Anything Goes
Stamp Something - Anything Goes
Meljen's - Square or Round Card
Paperplay - Cutie Patootie
Totally Gorjuss - Cuddly
Oldie But A Goodie - Bright and Cheerful
2 Sisters - Flowers
Fairytale Challenge - Flowers
Creative Inspirations Paint - Bling
Phindy's Place - Valentines/For a Loved One
Tuesday Throwdown - Valentine
Wags N Whiskers - With Love
Secret Crafter - With Love
Paper Playtime - Use the Word Love on Your Project
Winter Wonderland - Paws For Thought
Speedy The Cats Friends - Use A Heart
I Did It Creations - Brr I'm Turning Blue (use some blue in your project)
ECP - Use Old Stash
Incy Wincy - Bears, Bears, Bears
Tuesday Morning Sketches - Heavy Metal (used brads)

Card Recipe:
Image - I love you Beary Much by ARTish
Paper - Lovesong by My Minds Eye
Medium - Copic Markers
Sentiment - Cloud Nine
Roses - Prima
Gem Brads - Recollections

This is this week's super sketch!

I colored the bear and then cut him out before popping him on top of this cute heart shaped doily.
I wonder who he is giving his heart to?
If you have a special someone that still needs a card making for them use our challenge as the excuse to get it made, you may our winner!
Drop by The Pixie Cottage and play along with us.
See you there!
Katie

Cooking It Up #45 - Use some Cute Green Brads!

It's a new challenge at my Cooking It Up With Katie blog and it's one of my very favorite sponsors, Meljen's Designs!
I simply adore the cute and whimsical designs and myself and the team got to play along with some and we had so much fun!

The ingredients needed for your card this week are:

Make it Cute
Use some Green
Add a few Brads

Challenges:
Craft Your Days Away - Anything Goes
AI Factory - Anything Goes
Stamp Something - Anything Goes
Pear Tree Designs - Free For All
Meljen's - Square or Round Card
Paper Crafting Journey - Go Digital
Paperplay - Cutie Patootie
Totally Gorjuss - Cuddly
Stamp N Doodle - Winter in The Woods
Sentimental Sundays - Winter
Stempel Magie - Winter
Creative Stamp Friends - Winter
Going Grey with Scrap Creations - Winter Blast
Everybody Art - Snow
Phindy's Place - Valentines/For a Loved One
Tuesday Throwdown - Valentine
Southern Girls - All Loved Up
Wags N Whiskers - With Love
Secret Crafter - With Love
Beary Scrap - Friendship or Love
Paper Playtime - Use the Word Love on Your Project
Creatalicious - Ribbon and Love
Wee Memories - Ribbon
Tellen's Place - Ribbon
Creative Inspirations Paint - Bling
Simply Create - Use Your Punches
My Time To Craft - Spots and Dots
Tuesday Morning Sketches - Heavy Metal (used brads)
Crafty Creations - Birds, Polka Dots and Green
Stampin Royalty - Anything With Wings

Card Recipe:
Image - Cozy Winter Owl
Paper - The Guy Stack by DCWV
Medium - Copic Markers
Jeweled Brads - Recollections by Michaels
Ribbon - Stash
Border Punch - French Scroll by Martha Stewart
Sentiment - Printed in LD Cute Curlz font
Glitter - Glamour Dust in Crystal

I printed two of the cute owl image and cut out the owl and snow part and popped it up on top of the bottom layer. I added Glamour Dust glitter to the snow and his hat and I just love how cute he is. It is a little different from a usual Valentine color scheme but perfect for a man I think.
I hope you will grab your crafting ingredients and come along and join us at Cooking It Up With Katie this week!

Pixie Cottage #47 - Paper Piecing

It's time for another super sketch and challenge at The Pixie Cottage and we'd love to see you give it a try.
It is one of my favorite techniques and that is Paper Piecing!

Challenges:

Charisma Cardz - One for The Girls
Whoopsi Daisy - Girlie
Speedy the Cats Friends - Bows
Gingerloft - Bows
Sweet Stampin - Buttons and Bows
Praire Fairy - Buttons and Bows
Meljens - Buttons and Bows
Paper Play - Stars
Sentimental Sundays - 3 papers, 3 buttons and some ribbon (and a sentiment)
Craft Your Days Away - Texture
Alphabet Challenge - E for Embossing
Lots to Do - Embossing
Sketches in Thyme - Open Sketch week (any card as long as you use a sketch)
Crafty Sentiments - Christmas
Stampin B's - Holiday Card
Christmas Stampin All Year Long - Anything Goes Christmas
Crafty Catz - Christmas
One Stop Craft - Christmas Cuties
Totally Gorjuss - Oh Christmas Tree
Stamp It Crazy - Christmas
Stempeltraeume - Red and Green
Paper Cutz - Anything Goes
Woodware USA - Anything Goes
Paper Cupcakes - Anything Goes
Top Tip Tuesday - Anything Goes
I Did It Creations - Surprise Me (open week)
Tuesday Throwdown - Embellish It

Card Recipe:
Image - Hannah with Hearts
Paper - Homemade Christmas by DCWV
Medium - Copic Markers
Die Cut - Spellbinders
Embossing Folder - Basic Grey for Sizzix
Tree - Sizzix
Ribbon - Stash
Rose - Wild Orchid Crafts
Sentiment - Printed in Santa's Sleigh Font
Buttons - Dress It Up

This was the great sketch we got to work with (I turned it to fit the image)

I paper pieced the dress, boots, hearts and hair tie and I just love the extra touch this adds to the image.
This was a sketch that when I first saw I thought I couldn't use but when I turned it on it's side I thought I'd give it a go and I'm really pleased with how it turned out.

Katie

Designed 2 Delight - Giving Thanks

We are getting close to Thanksgiving so I'm sure Family and Friends are in the fore front of your thoughts.
So today's card for Designed 2 Delight is a perfect treat for someone special.

Challenges:
Scrap Stamp and Doodle - Fall
Our Creative Corner - Something to be Grateful For
Opus Gluei - Thanks
Twisted Thursday - Thanks with a Pumpkin
Lots To Do - Autumnal Colors
Crafty Emma - Forever Autumn
Digtial Tuesday - Bought But Never Used (had this sentiment on a set of Thanksgiving stickers from at least two years ago)
Passionately Artistic - Linky Party (link any and all your projects)
Fresh Brewed - 2 of More Patterned Papers
Dutch Dare - Clean and Simple
Meljen's - Food
Top Tip Tuesday - Use an Image

Card Recipe:
Image - Harvest Basket by Designed 2 Delight
Paper - DCWV Autumn Splendor
Medium - Copic Markers
Sentiment - 7 Gypsies
Ribbon - Michaels $1 spot

This would be a great image for a Thanksgiving place card on that big dinner table too!
I hope you enjoy it and be sure to drop back again soon as I have something very special to show you very soon!

Pile It On - Holiday with a Twist

We have a super challenge for you this week at Pile It On as we'd like to see a Holiday Card using *ONLY* Red, White and Green, and felt, flocking, or something soft.
We are sponsored by the wonderful Stampin Dragon Designs who gave us super designs to work with.

Challenges:
Critter Challenge - Sketch
The Ribbon Girl - Red and Green
The Crafty Pad - Christmas
Bah Humbug - Elegant Christmas (I thought the gorgeous bow and poinsettias were elegant)
Christmas Stampin All Year - Metallic (the edge on the ribbon)
Die Cut Dreams Christmas Club - To The One I Love
Wee Memories - Cute Holiday
Paper Garden - Holiday Cards
Christmas Card Challenges -Christmas with Flowers
One Stitch At A Time - Any Celebration
Meljens - Anything Goes
Top Tip Tuesday - Anything Goes
Tuesday Throwdown - Anything Goes
Stamp Something - Something Digi
Artful Inkables - Embossing and Flowers
Stampin Royalty - Ribbons
Pennys - As Long As It Flies

Card Recipe:
Image - Dragons Lair
Paper - Happy Holidays by The Paper Studio
Medium - Copic Markers
Flowers - Making Memories
Embossing Folder - Basic Grey for Sizzix
Ribbon - Michaels
Felt Santa Hat - Hobby Lobby
Sentiment - Unknown

I just love this turned out and I hope you do too!

The Pixie Cottage Challenge #38 - Orange - Guest Sketch

It's time for another challenge over at and this week we have a Special Guest Sketch Artist and it's Aud Nordheim!
She created this fabulous sketch for us:



As the additional challenge this week we'd love to see you use Orange in your creation. That shouldn't be too difficult with Fall upon us and Halloween racing fast towards us.

Challenges:

Digi Doodles Shop - Emboss It
Stamp Insanity - Emboss
Stampin For The Weekend - Tag It
Wee Memories - Tags
Stamp Something - Fall colors
For Fun - Fall
Meljens - Fall Colors
Stamptacular Sunday - Colors of Fall
Creative Stamp Friends - Autumn
Craftalicious - Autumn Colors
Drunken Stampers - Fall
A Crafty Little Place - Autumn
Flourishes - Autumn
Tuesday Taggers - Autumn sponsored by The Craft Barn
Speedy The Cats Friends - Pumpkin
Corrosive - Masking (I masked the image so I could airbrush the background)
One Stitch at a Time - Anything Goes
Incy Wincy - Anything Goes
Make It Crafty - Anything Goes
Random Amusing - 2 different Ribbons

Card Recipe:
Image - Pumpkin Molly
Medium - Copic Markers and Airbrush System
Paper - Autumn Splendor by DCWV (not available online but I got it from Michaels)
Embossing folders by Sizzix (Tim Holtz) and Cuttlebug (flower border)
Ribbon - Hobby Lobby

I really love how this one turned out, I airbrushed the background (thanks Risa for the super Tutorial) and colored another image, cut it out and popped it up for some more dimension.
I added some brown paint to the centers of the flowers on the embossed border and also embossed the punched border across the middle.
I love the colors of Fall, so bright and cheery and I hope it got the theme across in this card.

Cooking It Up #28 - You Can Be My Hero

We have another super challenge at my blog Cooking It Up With Katieand this week we are sponsored by Whimsy Stamps



The recipe is:
3 papers
Something Clear
Music/Song


Challenges:

Charisma - Inspired by a Song
The Stampman - Music
Our Creative Corner Sketch - Sketch
Stampin B's - Use a Charm
ABC Challenge - C is for Charms
Totally Papercrafts - Charming
Just Inspirational - Use a Digi
Meljens - Stripes
Ooh La La - Stripes
Digital Tuesday - Dots and Stripes
Digi Stamps 4 Joy - Photo Insporation (I chose the spots, stripes and red)
Paper Playtime - Knights, Castles and Damsels in Distress
Alota Rubber Stamps - Fairytales
Going Grey - Children
Speedy The Cat's Friends - 5 of Something (used 5 dewdrops)
Cowgirl Sunday - Anything Goes
Gingerloft - Anything Goes




Card Recipe:
Image - Knight Connor
Paper - Basic Grey Oliver
Medium - Copic Markers
Sentiment - Printed
Dewdrops - Robins Nest
Charm - Hobby Lobby





This is such a cute little guy, perfect for a birthday card or a Good Luck card.
I hope you like him and that you'll come along and play with me and the team at Cooking It Up With Katie this week!